1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing implants and artificial dental roots. In particular, for example, the present invention relates to a method for producing an artificial dental root wherein the surface of an artificial dental root is roughened by the sand blast method using shot material containing fluoroapatite, and removing the shot material by dissolving it.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open publication No. 10-99438 discloses a method for producing a dental implant in which the sand blast method is used for surface treatment of the dental implant. In the method disclosed in this bulletin, hydroxyapatite is used as shot material (blast grain). And, in this bulletin, hydroxyapatite is intentionally embedded in the surface of a dental implant, and is used as bone forming promoter after the dental implant is planted in a jaw bone (see the abstract, etc.).
Hydroxyapatite is a little decomposed at high temperature equal to or more than 1000° C. Hence it is difficult to produce a sophisticated sintered body from hydroxyapatite. In addition, since hydroxyapatite dose not have enough hardness compared to fluoroapatite, it is difficult to perform a desired surface roughening on the surface of the implant appropriately. On the other hand, shot material which is used in the conventional sand blast method is so hard that it scratches the surface of an implant leaving deep scars or cracks, thereby shortening the implant's durability. Also, since the conventional shot material has poor biocompatibility and is not suitable for bone regeneration, the shot material had to be removed from an implant after the sand blast method is performed to roughen the surface thereof. However, there was a problem that shot material could not be completely removed physically and chemically.
The object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing implants which have preferred roughened surfaces, and from which shot material is removed appropriately.
The object of the present invention is to provide implants whereon homogeneous and highly refined hydroxyapatite coating is firmly combined.